YouTube is running an experiment that lowers the minimum amount creators must earn before receiving a payment from $100 to $20, or the local currency equivalent, according to a notice posted to YouTube’s help forum on October 26.

The change applies to a randomly selected group of creators in the United States, India and Indonesia, starting with October 2026 payments. YouTube described the test as temporary and said its aim is “to offer creators more flexibility.”

Creators in the experiment will receive a notification and can track updated payment activity in YouTube Studio on mobile. Those who prefer a higher payout threshold can change it in AdSense for YouTube.

One of Five Thresholds

The payment threshold is one of five revenue thresholds creators must meet to get paid through the YouTube Partner Program (YPP), according to YouTube’s documentation. The others cover tax information, identity and address verification, payment method selection and account cancelation. Creators receive a payment once earnings reach the payment threshold, provided there are no holds on the account and they comply with AdSense policies and terms.

The standard threshold varies by the reporting currency on a creator’s AdSense for YouTube account. It is $100 for U.S. dollar accounts and Rp1,300,000 for Indonesian rupiah accounts. The tax information threshold is $0 for U.S. dollar accounts, while the verification and payment method selection thresholds are $10.

Test Follows Tighter Entry Requirements

The experiment comes after YouTube announced changes to YPP entry requirements in August. Beginning February 1, 2027, new creators will need 8,000 qualified watch hours over the past 365 days, up from 4,000, or 20 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days, up from 10 million. YouTube also said creators will need 10 million qualified Shorts views over a trailing 90-day period to stay eligible for Shorts monetization.

Amjad Hanif, YouTube’s VP of Creator Products, said at the time that YouTube wants “to make sure that the earnings you get from the program are meaningful and allow you to reinvest in your channel.” He added that the company expects to pay creators more in 2027 than in 2026.

YouTube has not said how long the payment threshold test will run or whether it will expand to other countries.

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